Category Archives: On the Verge: MLB Prospects

An Inside Look and Analysis of the top Baseball Prospects

The San Francisco Giants Players – Organizational Affiliates, Prospects, Depth Charts, (MLB + MiLB)

The Giants won the World Series in 2010 and 2012, however 2013 will see the team have a losing record, and a bunch of question marks will soon follow with some impending Free Agents.  The game has changed in the NL West, with the Dodgers hoarding a Team Salary in the $230 MIL a year for the next several seasons.  The Giants have to spend the money to compete.  They have the resources, hold one the best attendances in the National League, and have the consensus #1 Ballpark in the Major Leagues when voted among the others.  Regardless of the money spent are not, the management team will have to work more diligently than ever.

The Giants won the World Series in 2010 and 2012, however 2013 will see the team have a losing record, and a bunch of question marks will soon follow with some impending Free Agents. The game has changed in the NL West, with the Dodgers hoarding a Team Salary in the $230 MIL a year range for the next several seasons. The Giants have to spend the money to compete. They have the resources, hold one the best attendances in the National League, and have the consensus #1 Ballpark in the Major Leagues when voted among the others. Regardless of the money spent or not, the management team will have to work more diligently than ever.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): and welcome Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website  here  

The Giants have won 2 of the last 3 World Series Titles.  The club was built heavily on Starting Pitching that was drafted, however Brian Sabean has finagled the salary of the team to supplement the offense.

Great acquisitions such as Angel Pagan, Hunter Pence and Marco Scutaro joined the club last season – to help bolster the offense.

The team has had lots of hometgrown products grow up and become money players like Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Tim Linceum.

The club will have to make some decisions in the offseason, as Hunter Pence, Barry Zito and Tim Lincecum all become Free Agents.  with that being said, their heavy dollar contracts also free up a lot of cash to replenish the team.

For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the GIants Organization click here.

GIants Highlights World Series Champions 2012 Celebration

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The Seattle Mariners Payroll In 2014, Organizational Affiliates, Prospects, Depth Charts, (MLB + MiLB)

The Mariners have one of the gem stadiums in all of baseball right now.  It is too bad the team on the field has not been that great - in what has been a brutal decade.  Jack Z.. was just extended for one more year.  While it wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement, the club's youth has finally shown some promise.  The team has a promising amount of young pitchers, good Starting Pitching already in the Majors, and a few positional players that look like they will stay in the bigs.  Of concern is the fact they will lose several veterans in Mike Morse, Kendrys Morales and Raul Ibanez after this year.  That is, unless they decide to trade any of them in the next week.

The Mariners have one of the gem stadiums in all of baseball right now. It is too bad the team on the field has not been that great – in what has been a brutal decade. Jack Z.. was just extended for one more year. While it wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement, the club’s youth has finally shown some promise. The team has a promising amount of young pitchers, good Starting Pitching already in the Majors, and a few positional players that look like they will stay in the bigs. Of concern is the fact they will lose several veterans in Mike Morse, Kendrys Morales and Raul Ibanez after this year. That is, unless they decide to trade any of them in the next week.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): and welcome Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website  here  

The Mariners were one of the best teams in the Major Leagues when they moved into Safeco Field.

Despite losing Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson and Ken GriffeyJR. in successive seasons, the team matched a Major League Record with 116 Wins during the 2001 year.

Ichiro Suzuki admirably took over the reigns as the team leader, and carried the club on his shoulders for the next years.

Lou Pinella was there until 2003 – and was having his team in perennial contention since the 1995 year.

After 2003, the club has been abysmal in the next decade.

The team has had several face lifts, rotation managers – and the attendance has come down for over 3 Million fans per year, and now the can barely draw about 1.5 MIL people.

Seattle is one of the biggest markets in North America, and can totally put forth a winning team – and a high payroll.

For the team to even sign some Free Agents, the young players of the organization have to start playing well and to potential.

Any team with Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma is not that far off from competing.

For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Mariners Organization click here.

For all 30 teams Organization Lists from the MLB Reports, plus any related Payrolls, Depth Charts, Roster Trees, State Of The Unions click here.

Felix Hernandez Perfect Game Highlights 2012

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Should Angel Pagan Come Back In 2013?

 

Angel Pagan led the NL in Triples with 15 in 2012 amongst his 61 Extra Base Hits and 95 Runs.  This year he had scored 30 runs in 46 Games played despite a .262/.314/.688 3 Slash.

Angel Pagan led the NL in Triples with 15 in 2012 amongst his 61 Extra Base Hits and 95 Runs. This year he had scored 30 runs in 46 Games played despite a .262/.314/.688 3 Slash.  The team was 25 – 21 with him in the lineup – and now have gone 31 – 51 since.

By Jon Schifferle ( Giants Correspondent – visit his own personal website here.)  

With the Giants so far out of the playoff picture this year, many may ask why Angel Pagan coming back makes sense.  Why risk a guy getting reinjured?  Why not give him more rest to come back 100% next season?

While these are legitimate questions, it only makes sense that Angel Pagan returns this September to play with the Giants.  

Angel Pagan is a long term asset for the Giants.  He is just one year into his four year deal, and will be counted in the next few years to help the team compete for another World Series title.

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Should The Pirates Make A Deal? Huntington Should At Least Pick Up A Reliever!

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Wednesday, July.24/2013

The trading deadline has been an exciting time of year for Pittsburgh Pirates fans the past two seasons and this year looks to be bordering on an extravaganza for the city, as the Bucs will be hosting the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals for a five-game series as the deadline approaches and passes. Although GM Neal Huntington will likely be active, the sound advice might be to hold onto prospects, do not mortgage the future and go with what got you a couple games back of the Cardinals in the NL Central and for the best record in all of MLB.

The trading deadline has been an exciting time of year for Pittsburgh Pirates fans the past two seasons and this year looks to be bordering on an extravaganza for the city, as the Bucs will be hosting the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals for a five-game series as the deadline approaches and passes. Although GM Neal Huntington will likely be active, the sound advice might be to hold onto prospects, do not mortgage the future and go with what got you a couple games back of the Cardinals in the NL Central and for the best record in all of MLB.

By Brad Cuprik (Pirates Correspondent)

If you read the newspapers in Pittsburgh or listen to talk show radio, the expectation is that Huntington is going to make a significant deal to upgrade the Pirates’ hitting, outfield, bullpen, and even starting pitching.

Realizing that baseball in October is a lot different than baseball in May, June and July, if the Bucs needed upgrades in all those areas, how are they winning about 60 percent of their games so far?

The Pirates have posted one of the best records in baseball so far in 2013.

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How the Giants Can Improve Their Roster + Deal With Injuries To Vogelsong + Pagan

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 Wednesday, July.03/2013

Johnny Monell has been a great contributor to the Fresno Grizzlies this season, and deserves consideration for a roster spot

Johnny Monell has been a great contributor to the Fresno Grizzlies this season, and deserves consideration for a roster spot.

By Jon Schifferle ( Giants Correspondent – visit his own personal website here.)  

The Giants did not have a great month of June, but I don’t have to tell you that. In fact, it was the worst winning percentage for the team in a month since July 2008, according to Andrew Baggarly.  

This does not put the Giants out of contention, though, and the team still plans on competing this season.

With that in mind, the club does not have very much depth in their farm system, and likely do not want to give up the little potential that they have their, so the best way to boost the lineup would be through callups.  

Minnesota Twins Organization: Payroll, Depth Charts + Rosters, (MLB + MiLB)

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Sunday, June.23/2013

Ron Gardenhire and Tom Kelly have been the only 2 men to manage the Twins in the last years.  Having stability in the Manager and GM position lends itself for a proper run franchise in terms of on the field success.  The Twins will give Gardenhire the chance to rebuild with this club yet again.

Ron Gardenhire and Tom Kelly have been the only 2 men to manage the Twins in the last 26 years. Having stability in the Manager and GM position lends itself for a proper run franchise in terms of on the field success. The Twins will give Gardenhire the chance to rebuild with this club yet again.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): and welcome Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website  here  

You guys are all in for a treat.  Jeff Kleiner recently contacted me about a partnership merge for the website.  He has developed a site (prosportsrosters.com) that covers all organizational affiliates in the Minors for all of the Major League Baseball Clubs.  We are going to combine efforts to bring you the best look at salaries, current 25 Man Player Rosters and Depth Charts for all 30 teams. 

Jeff is going to provide the documents in form of spreadsheets and I am going to accompany the posts with deep analysis of what the numbers tell us from my perspective.  If you can’t wait for all of my assessments for each club, go and visit Jeff’s website over at http://www.prosportsrosters.com.

In Speaking with Jeff, he is one of the more passionate fans I have come across towards the game of baseball.  He spends enough time in updating his MLB Facts for it to be a Full-Time Job.  So after the usual Video Clip and READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY button, you will find some serious &*!@?!#!

Jeff updates this page below on a daily basis.  After you click on it….Bookmark it.  There is a 3 year salary forecast and stats not listed here on this page.  Jeff updates these pages daily and these changes include any Roster moves!

For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Twins Organization click here.

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Washington Nationals Organization: Payroll, Depth Charts + Rosters, (MLB + MiLB)

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Friday, June.21/2013

The Nationals were everyone's Preseason favorite to get to the 2013 World Series.  A litany of injuries, with a few slumps from some key Veterans - have caused them to only be hovering around .500.  They still have a chance to rundown the Atlanta Braves in the NL East if they can put together the kind of winning baseball they put forth during the 2012 campaign.  Even if it doesn't come to fruition this year, the club looks solid in the coming years.  Only a World Series Championship will forever cement their legacy as a great club.

The Nationals were everyone’s Preseason favorite to get to the 2013 World Series. A litany of injuries, with a few slumps from some key Veterans – have caused them to only be hovering around .500. They still have a chance to rundown the Atlanta Braves in the NL East if they can put together the kind of winning baseball they put forth during the 2012 campaign. Even if it doesn’t come to fruition this year, the club looks solid in the coming years. Only a World Series Championship will forever cement their legacy as a great club.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): and welcome Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website  here  

You guys are all in for a treat.  Jeff Kleiner recently contacted me about a partnership merge for the website.  He has developed a site (prosportsrosters.com) that covers all organizational affiliates in the Minors for all of the Major League Baseball Clubs.  We are going to combine efforts to bring you the best look at salaries, current 25 Man Player Rosters and Depth Charts for all 30 teams. 

Jeff is going to provide the documents in form of spreadsheets and I am going to accompany the posts with deep analysis of what the numbers tell us from my perspective.  If you can’t wait for all of my assessments for each club, go and visit Jeff’s website over at http://www.prosportsrosters.com.

In Speaking with Jeff, he is one of the more passionate fans I have come across towards the game of baseball.  He spends enough time in updating his MLB Facts for it to be a Full-Time Job.  So after the usual Video Clip and READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY button, you will find some serious &*!@?!#!

Jeff updates this page below on a daily basis.  After you click on it….Bookmark it.  There is a 3 year salary forecast and stats not listed here on this page.  Jeff updates these pages daily and these changes include any Roster moves!

For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Nationals Organization clickhere

From Last To First – The Rise Of The Nats

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Two Giants Who Need A Promotion: Giants Injury Roundup

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 Wednesday, June.12/2013

The Giants currently sit in 3rd place in the NL West - 2 Games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks.  With the amount of extra baseball games they have played the last three years in the Post Season, it would be okay to inject some fresh youth into the lineup.

The Giants currently sit in 3rd place in the NL West – 2 Games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks. With the amount of extra baseball games they have played the last three years in the Post Season, it would be okay to inject some fresh youth into the lineup.  Players like Pablo Sandoval, Angel Pagan and Ryan Vogelsong are currently on the Disabled list for awhile.  Santiago Casilla is also on the DL with a cyst on his right knee.

By Jon Schifferle ( Giants Correspondent – visit his own personal website here.)  

Some organizations move prospects very quickly.  They aren’t afraid to push their players, and love to show them a new challenge.  That is definitely not the way the Giants operate.

While I generally agree with this philosophy, I do feel that moving prospects mid season can benefit the organization.  Some players need to be challenged.  

Not only this, but the sooner they are moved up, the sooner they can contribute at the MLB level.  At this point in the season, there are two guys who definitely are showing that they are ready for the next step.  

Right now, there are two players that are definitely showing they have the tools to play at the next level.  

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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Have Potential Ace In 2013 MLB Draft Pick Braden Shipley

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Sunday, June.09, 2013

Braden_Shipley

Braden Shipley is a right-hander from the University Of Nevada. He was taken with the 15th pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2013 First Year Player Draft. This also makes him the highest pick in any sport in Wolf Pack history. He has a great fastball that tops out at 98 mph, to go along with an improving curve ball, and a plus change up. He went 7-3 with a 2.77 ERA while striking out 102 batters in 107 2/3 innings this season for Nevada. He has the potential to be a future ace for the Diamondbacks. Arizona also believes that because he has only been pitching full time for a couple of seasons, there is more room for growth than most college pitchers.

By Chris Lacey (Featured Baseball Columnist)

Arizona Diamondbacks have one of the deepest farm systems in all of baseball, in terms of quality arms. They have Patrick Corbin pitching great for them this season, and Tyler Skaggs has already made two starts for them.

There is another pitcher they have in Archie Bradley, who is pitching lights out for Double-A Mobile and could be an ace for them in the rotation.

Pack Profiles – Braden Shipley – Mature Lyrics So Parental Guidance is Advised 

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Reviewing The Top 5 – 2013 MLB Draft Picks

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Saturday, June.08, 2013

The 2013 Draft has come and gone and will take years to decide how good each teams selection was in the 1st Round.  We decided to take a look at the top 5 Picks again.

The 2013 Draft has come and gone – and will take years to decide how good each teams selection was in the 1st Round. We decided to take a look at the top 5 Picks again.

By Chris Lacey (Featured Baseball Columnist)

How quickly can a teams fortune change with top 5 MLB Draft Picks??  Think of the 119 Loss 2003 Detroit Tigers drafting Justin Verlander – and going to a World Series just 3 years later.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays picked 1st for many years, finally having their players come together in 2008, once Evan Longoria, James Shields, B.J. Upton and David Price asserted themselves in 2008.

A horrid Washington Nationals team losing 95 -100 Games every year drafted Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper in successive drafts – before cranking out a franchise record 98 Wins just  a couple of years later.

The Astros, Cubs, Rockies, Twins and Indians sure hope the 2013 Top 5 Picks will warrant heavy discussion as a great class of picks as the years go by.

Mark Appel is interviewed 3 Months Ago:

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MLB Mock Rule4 Draft 2013

a 2013 MLB Draft

MLB Mock Draft 

Before I start I just want to say that baseball is a very tough game so when I say he can be a all star or that he can have a curveball that is just unhittable – it may not happen……. and actually is very doubtful to fully reach the ceiling. Read the rest of this entry

Why Isn’t Heath Hembree In The Giants Bullpen?

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 Friday, May.31/ 2013

Heath Hembree is easily the most talked-about reliever in the Giants farm system

Heath Hembree is easily the most talked-about reliever in the Giants farm system.

By Jon Schifferle ( Giants Correspondent – visit his own personal website here.)  

With all of the changes to the bullpen and rotation recently, mostly stemming from the current issues in the rotation, many Giants fans are left to wonder why Heath Hembree has not come up and pitched in a late inning role.  

The Astros 2013 Draft Day Decision

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Wednesday May 29th, 2013

Reid Ryan will be at the helm for his 1st ever draft as Team President for the Astros on June 6th.  The team is picking 1st overall - and will most likely pick 1st or 2nd in next years Amateur Draft.  This decision should be priority #1 with the management right now.

Reid Ryan will be at the helm for his 1st ever draft as Team President for the Astros on June 6th. The team is picking 1st overall – and will most likely pick 1st or 2nd in next years Amateur Draft as well in 2014. This 2013 Draft Day Decision should be priority #1 with the management right now.  Ryan was named Team President of the franchise only a few weeks ago.

By Jordan Gluck (Draft Correspondent)

The Houston Astros select first overall in the draft for the second consecutive year but have a big decision to make and that is the strategy they use. First let’s go through who the key people in the front office are.

Reid Ryan – Team President
Jeff Luhnow: GM- Upenn
David Stearns: Assistant GM- Harvard
Craig Biggio, Roger Clemens special assistants
Sig Mejdal- director of decision sciences (best title name in baseball)
Mike Elias: director of amateur scouting
Kevin Goldstein: director of pro scouting
Paul Ricciarini: scout
David Post: national cross checker

Before I talk about the Astros potential strategies I think it is worth mentioning that Craig Biggio‘ s son Cavan Biggio is in this draft and that is something to watch for although he will not go first overall.

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The Giants Best Options to Replace Ryan Vogelsong

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 Tuesday, May.21/ 2013

Ryan Vongelsong has been struggling this season, but finally looked good again in his last start

Ryan Vogelsong has been struggling this season, but finally looked good again in his last start.

By Jon Schifferle ( Giants Correspondent – visit his own personal website here.)  

Ryan Vogelsong was having his best start of the season, and finally looked like his old self.

And then he fractured his pitching hand.

While many could look at this situation and see a few options to replace him like Chad Gaudin, who has been great out of the bullpen as a long reliever and has experience starting, and Chris Heston who led AA in ERA last season, the clear option that I see is Michael Kickham.  

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Down On The Farm: A Look At The D’Backs Top 5 Prospects

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Friday, May.17, 2013

Archie Bradley was the 7th pick in 2011 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is in his 2nd season of professional baseball and is off to strong start. He 4-0, 1.05 ERA , he has 63 strike outs in 43.2 innings pitched. The opposition only has a .193 batting average against him. He projects to be a top of the rotation starter. MLB.com has him ranked as the 18th prospect in all of baseball.

Archie Bradley was the 7th pick in 2011 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is in his 2nd season of professional baseball and is off to strong start. He is 4-0, 1.05 ERA, and he has 63 strike outs in 43.2 innings pitched. The opposition only has a .193 batting average against him. He projects to be a top of the rotation starter. MLB.com has him ranked as the 18th prospect in all of baseball.

By Chris Lacey (Baseball Writer)

The Arizona Diamondbacks have a Minor League farm system that is strong with pitching, and up until now their pitching was the only highlight in their minor league system. They have some position players that can not only hit, but play some stellar defense as well.

The pitching is from the minors already helping out the team this season with Wade Miley and Patrick Corbin leading the starting rotation. They have more pitching on the way in the form of Archie Bradley, Tyler Skaggs and David Holmberg.

RHP  Archie Bradley Mature Lyrics – Parental Guidance Is Advised

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Down On The Farm: A Look At The Twins Top 5 Prospects

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Friday May 10, 2013

Sano is the top prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization. Currently at high-A Fort Myers, Sano excels with his power and speed. His fielding could use a little work and his hitting is coming around good. So far he is hitting .387 this year despite a career average of .286 before this year. MLB.com has him ranked as the #12 prospect in all of baseball.

Sano is the top prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization. Currently at high-A Fort Myers, Sano excels with his power and speed. His fielding could use a little work and his hitting is coming around good. So far he is hitting .387 this year despite a career average of .286 before this campaign. MLB.com has him ranked as the #12 prospect in all of baseball.

By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer):

The Minnesota Twins have a Minor League farm system with a lot of depth, there is no questioning that. In fact, minorleaguebaseball.com ranked the Twins as having the 7th best farm system in all of baseball, and that probably isn’t too far off.

They have hitting, pitching, and fielding, the whole 9 yards. The major league club is already great but with this farm system working their way to the majors they will be major contenders in upcoming years.

All the way from their top prospect, Miguel Sano, to one of their best pitching prospects, 7th in the organization, Trevor May, the Twins have young guys that will be a threat in the future. Today, we are going to look at the Twins’ top 5 prospects.

Twins Prospect Byron Buxton

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An Update On The Nationals Top 15 Prospects

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Friday, May. 03/2013

Anthony Rendon was selected 6th overall in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft by the Washington Nationals

Anthony Rendon was selected 6th overall in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft by the Washington Nationals.  In his limited time with the big club, he struggled at the plate, (.182/.308/.227 in 26 Plate Appearances) – while he also made 3 Errors in the field in just 22 Chances.  Still the future is bright and Rendon could certainly play his way onto the Roster later in the year.  He is TRENDING STEADY.

By Sean Hogan (Nationals Correspondent via Citizens of Natstown.com – view website here): 

When I put together my top 15 prospect list for the Washington Baseball Annual, I knew it was a bit risky. Only five of the top ten were not injury risks before the season, and out of those five, two have already been injured this year.

Through the first month of the season, the top part of the Nats’ farm system has been similarly mediocre to the Nats in general.

1)      3B Anthony Rendon – I didn’t think we’d see Rendon in the big leagues this soon, but he was the first call when Ryan Zimmerman went down with a hamstring injury.

Rendon put up a nice .292/.462/.500 triple slash in 65 Harrisburg Plate Appearances.

Anthony Rendon’s Highlight Package:

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Triple Play Podcast Ep #5 – An Interview With James Paxton And A Full Farm Report

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Monday, April.22/2013

The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month.  Each show will be about 1 hour

The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month. Each show will be about 1 hour.

By The Big Ticket Show ( AKA Triple Play Podcast on http://www.mlbreports.com)

This week we introduce our first edition of Down on the Farm, a in-depth look at the hot prospects and future big league superstars. Former Astros and Mariners scout and current rotowire.com and mlb.com analyst Bernie Pleskoff joined us to give a scouts view .

We also spent a few minutes with Seattle Mariners pitching prospect James Paxton. Finally Curt Gill of atlantabaseball.com stopped by to give us the goods on what’s going on in Atlanta. All that plus our Bethubb.com best bets. Read the rest of this entry

Are The Cardinals Making Room For Young Stars Adams And Taveras?

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Saturday, April 20th, 2013

Matt Adams is absolutely crushing the ball in his 21 AB during the young 2013 season.  He has clubbed 3 HRs - driven in 8 RBI - while posting a 3 Slash Line of .524/.564/1.613.  Will the organization be able to find room for he or even Oscar Taveras for that matter?

Matt Adams is absolutely crushing the ball in his 21 AB during the young 2013 season. He has clubbed 3 HRs – driven in 8 RBI – while posting a 3 Slash Line of .524/.564/1.613. Will the organization be able to find room for he or even Oscar Taveras for that matter? Adams, from Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, was selected  in the 23rd Round of the 2009 Amateur Draft.

By Landen Crouch (Cardinals Correspondent)

All of baseball remembers the day – Cardinals fans, especially.  It was December 8th, 2011 – the day that it was announced that Albert Pujols was leaving St. Louis for the Los Angeles Angels.  

It was a huge story for Major League Baseball at the time.  The story left most fans wondering why the Cardinals would not do absolutely everything they could to keep Albert Pujols.  

But amongst all of that, hidden behind that name Albert Pujols, was a young man by the name of Matt Adams.  Prior to the 2011 offseason, Matt Adams had no idea what was in his near future.

 His career path at the time literally depended on what decision Albert Pujols chose to make.  Adams was an up and coming First Base prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.  He was coming off an incredible 2011 year, in which he posted an impressive line of .300 BA, 32 HR, and 101 RBI in just 115 Games Played.

 It was clear that this young guy was a pure hitter with outstanding Major League potential.  He is the very reason the Cardinals refused to offer Pujols any more money.  If you have ever wondered to yourself why the Cardinals did not pay Pujols, just keep reading.  I promise this story gets really interesting.

Matt Adams’ 1st Home Run of 2013:

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Giants Farm System Update

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Friday April. 18, 2013

The Augusta Greenjackets are the official low-A team for the San Francisco Giants

The Augusta Greenjackets are the official low-A team for the San Francisco Giants.

By Jon Schifferle ( Giants Correspondent – visit his own personal website here.)  

It seems that we are probably far enough into the season to start looking at the farm system and start making some assumptions about players at their new levels.  While it is definitely too early to make big judgments on players, it is always fun to speculate, isn’t it?  

For this article, I will take a look at players at Low-A Augusta, and will look at the other teams later on.  I won’t go over every single player, or else this series of articles could be 20 pages long.  For now I will just take on top prospects and potential breakout candidates.  Let’s take a look into the Giants Low A team to start:

Joan Gregorio Highlights:

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The Rays Need To Call Up Wil Myers Pronto!

2 And A Hook Podcast Talks About Calling UP Wil Myers – 25 Minute Mark

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Thursday Apr.18/2013

Myers ascended onto the PCL scene last year and ripped out 24 HRs in just 99 Games at Omaha. The Rays will be counting on him for their offensive future for many years to come. The club has featured a futile attack with the bats - hitting for a 3 Slash Line of .204//284/.588. They have scored only 39 Runs - while allowing 59 Runs through 13 Games.

Myers ascended onto the PCL scene last year and ripped out 24 HRs in just 99 Games at Omaha. The Rays will be counting on him for their offensive future for many years to come. The club has featured a futile attack with the bats – hitting for a 3 Slash Line of .204//284/.588. They have scored only 39 Runs – while allowing 59 Runs through 13 Games.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

First off, I wanted to say that I completely respect the Tampa Bay Rays – and especially am an avid supporter of the head office – including GM Andrew Freidman.  I will get to all of this in this article.

It is time to call up Wil Myers to the big club! 

The club is mired in a slow start at 4 – 9 and are already 5 Games Behind the AL East Division Leaders ‘Boston Red Sox.

The team traded away Veteran Pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis to Kansas City in order to acquire the top hitting prospect.

Here is why the time makes sense.

Service time for Super 2 Arbitration Status and Free Agency Year aside, this clubs current offense is abysmal despite having great pitching ability.

Wil Myers Highlight Reel:

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Interview With Cleveland Indians Prospect – Bryson Myles

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Saturday, April.13/2013

a miles bryson 2

By Brooke Robinson (MLB Reports Reporter):

Outside of the Cleveland Indians’ circles, the name Bryson Myles isn’t very well-known… yet. But to those in the organization and from his native Dallas/Fort Worth area, his name brings a ton of excitement.

Myles was a 6th Round Draft pick of the 2011 Amateur Draft by the Indians.  He was scouted from Stephen F. Austin University, where he led the nation in Stolen Bases in 2011 with 53.

He spent his first professional season with short season Mahoning Valley where he produced a .302/.394/.401 Batting Line.

In his first full season in 2012 with the Lake County Captains, the Outfielder had 20 Doubles to go with his 20 Stolen Bases for the season – and was ranked 15th prospect in the Indians Prospect Insider handbook.  

Bryson Miles 2012 Highlights:

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Billy Hamilton 2013 Prospectus

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Friday April.5th/2013

Billy Hamilton stealing his first base of 2013.  The MLB has not seen a player steal 100 Bags since the likes of Vince Coleman and Rickey Henderson did the over a quarter of a century ago

Billy Hamilton stealing his first base of 2013. The MLB has not seen a player steal 100 Bags since the likes of Vince Coleman and Rickey Henderson did  over a quarter of a century ago.  Here at the M:B Reports, we think that he can run through a car wash without getting wet!

By Ryan Ritchey ( MLB Reports Writer)

In 2012 Billy Hamilton was one of the most well known Minor Leaguers in all of baseball. Starting out in A+ ball with the Bakersfield Blaze, Hamilton was looking to be on the fast track to the big leagues by September. He played in 82 games with the Blaze and hit .326 with 104 stolen bases. 

Hamilton got the call up to Pensacola (which is the AA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds) and played in 50 games, Stealing 51 Bases. Things didn’t go as planned for him at the plate in Pensacola and he didn’t make it on the 40 man September roster for the Reds.

Billy Hamilton’s Inside the Park HR:

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Marlins Make the Wrong Choice in Promoting Jose Fernandez

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Monday, April 1, 2013

Just two years ago, Jose Fernandez was pitching for Alonso HS in Tampa, Florida

Just two years ago, Jose Fernandez was pitching for Alonso HS in Tampa, Florida.

By Sam Evans (Baseball Writer): 

Jose Fernandez is one of the top ten prospects in all of baseball for a variety of reasons. He has a fastball that can touch 98 MPH and a nasty curveball that will baffle hitters at any level. This weekend, the Miami Marlins promoted to their starting rotation after he continued to impress their front office in Spring Training. Having never played above High-A, Fernandez will suddenly be forced into the spotlight in the N.L. East. While it may seem that the Marlins are making the right choice in bringing him up because of how awful and unexciting their team will be in 2013, the reality is the Marlins are making a massive mistake.

Marlins-Jose Fernandez talks Spring Training 2013:


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MLB Reports Top 100 Prospects: A Rebuttal To The MLB.com’s Top 100

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Tuesday February.12, 2013

Our favorite Minor League Prospect - Tyler Austin has been invited to Yankees Spring Training in 2013.

By Jordan Gluck (Prospects/Baseball Operations Correspondent)

Before I show you my top 100 prospects – I want to get you familiar with my grading tactics and styles and what I value most. All prospects have ceilings and very few players reach that ceiling. First lets go through the tools of what I personally value most and where.

Tools: 

Bat:1
Power:2
Speed:3
Glove:4
Arm:5
Makeup:?

Those are the 5(6) tools that scouts use and the scale goes from 20-80. 80 being HOF rare like Giancarlo Stanton Power and 20 being absolutely terrible like Bengie Molina has 20 speed. Most people reading this will probably have more than 20 speed so that’s how pathetic it is.

Jurickson Profar Prospect Highlights:

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MLB.com Top 100 Prospects Features Six Cardinals

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Thursday, Februrary.07/2013

The Cardinals will start another year without an ace pitcher.  They have survived without Carpenter and Wainwright is recent seasons

The Cardinals will start another year without an ace pitcher. They have survived without Carpenter and Wainwright is recent seasons.

By Landen Crouch ( Cardinals Correspondent)

The Future for the St. Louis Cardinals is pretty clear – they are a team that will continue to win at a high level and compete in the playoffs.  Many teams in Major League Baseball have developed habits of heavy spending, looking to buy a potential World Series Title.  But the Cardinals have remained true to what has proved to be a winning formula: draft well and develop talent.  It will for sure pay off for them.  The Cardinals received some devastating news recently that Chris Carpenter will likely miss the entire 2013 season.  With that news hitting hard, the Cardinals have to feel good about how they have built their farm system recently.  The Cardinals‘ Minor League teams are loaded with talent, mostly pitchers.  Last week, mlb.com released their Top 100 Minor League Prospects in 2013, featuring six players from the St. Louis Cardinals’ organization that could possibly see action with the top club in St. Louis during the 2013 regular season.

Trevor Rosenthal vs Oscar Taveras:

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An Interview With Tigers Prospect Daniel Fields

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Saturday, January.26/2013

Daniel Fields has shown flashes of speed in the Minor Leagues for Detroit.  At Age 21, he has a bright future

Daniel Fields showed flashes of speed in 2012 -with 23 SB with the Lakeland Tigers (A+) and Erie SeaWolves (AA) in the Minor Leagues. At Age 22 (as of January.23/2013), Fields has been invited to attend Spring Training with the big club.

By Matthew Lafave (Tigers Correspondent)

Have you ever had that dream of being drafted by your favorite sports team? It’s a dream that replays in your head as you’re going about your day. A dream that makes you smile in the morning and a dream that you hope you experience again later that night.

Daniel Fields is living that dream. The Detroit, Michigan native out of University of Detroit Jesuit High School was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2009.

The highly toted prospect is making his way up the Minor Leagues. It’s a name that you’ll want to remember and a last name that may sound familiar to you. Read the rest of this entry

Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey are Signs of Hope in New York

Sunday, November 4th, 2012

Sam Evans: It has been over a decade since the New York Mets ranked in the top five in the majors in Fielding Independent Pitching. Last year, the Mets had roughly league-average production from their pitching staff and it led to a 74-88 finish. With Citi Field being a pitcher’s park, the Mets are going to need a lot more from their pitching staff in order to be a successful ballclub. Luckily, New York is breeding two very talented young pitchers, both of whom could start for the Mets next season. Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey should provide hope and confidence to the Mets and their fans.

Zack Wheeler is a twenty-two year old right-handed starting pitcher who has yet to pitch in the majors. Wheeler was drafted out of a Georgia high school in the 2009 MLB Amateur draft by the San Francisco Giants. Standing 6’4’’, Wheeler throws a fastball that can reach up to 95 MPH. His arsenal also includes a plus curveball, a changeup and a cutter. Wheeler came over from the Giants organization in the Carlos Beltran trade after one and a half years in the lower minors. In 2012, his first full season with the Mets, Wheeler split time between Double-A and Triple-A. Read the rest of this entry

Wil Myers and Billy Hamilton Are MLB Ready Prospects: The 2013 AL and NL ROY?

Sunday September 16th, 2012

Photo Courtesy of Giants fan: Crystal Ramos

Sam Evans:  The consensus around baseball is that Billy Hamilton and Wil Myers are two of the top twenty-five prospects in the game. With Myers hit tool and proximity to the majors and Hamilton’s crazy speed, both are pretty solid bets to reach their potential. These two are likely going to be All-Stars for their respective teams in the coming years. Instead of comparing them to other prospects, let’s look at what makes Myers and Hamilton so special.

First of all, Wil Myers. Myers was drafted as a catcher in the third round of the 2009 Amateur draft. He had the talent of a first-round pick but he seemed like he might be going to the University of South Carolina. The Royals offered Myers $2 million, which was an offer that he smartly took and started his journey into professional baseball.

The Wil Myers catching experiment lasted all of two years. When he played in Wilmington with Salvador Perez in 2010, Perez made it clear who had the brighter future behind the plate. It’s a bummer Myers never got comfortable behind the plate because there aren’t many catchers in the majors that offer the kind of offensive production that Myers likely will. Read the rest of this entry

Moises Sierra Has a Future in the Majors: A Blue Jays Work in Progress

Sunday August 26th, 2012

Sam Evans: When Toronto Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos traded away both Travis Snider and Eric Thames at the trade deadline, it created an opportunity for unheralded twenty-three year old outfielder Moises Sierra. Sierra has a chance to show Toronto that he should be part of their future in these final couple months of the season. With his 70-grade arm and his ability to produce runs at a solid pace, Sierra could have a job in the majors for years to come. However, Sierra has a lot of work to do to become a candidate for playing time at Rogers Centre in 2013.

Moises Sierra was signed by the Blue Jays out of the Dominican Republic back in 2005. This was before the Blue Jays dominated the scouting world, so Sierra has never been an “Anthopoulos guy”. From 2006 to 2008, Sierra had some rough numbers for different teams, but he showed enough to be promoted from the DSL, in 2006, to earning a starting job in High-A for the 2009 season. Sierra had a 122 wRC+ at High-A in 2009, but he missed most of the 2010 season due to a stress fracture in his leg and a couple of other minor injuries. Read the rest of this entry